Device for cooling, in particular, electronic components

ABSTRACT

A device for cooling, in particular for cooling electronic components, in particular a processor unit, having an evaporator for absorbing heat in a coolant, in particular through evaporation, having a gas cooler for cooling the coolant, in particular through condensation, having a first coolant conduit for the communicating connection of an evaporator outlet to a gas cooler inlet, and having a second coolant conduit for the communicating connection of a gas cooler outlet to an evaporator inlet, the first coolant conduit is plugged onto the evaporator outlet and/or is plugged into the gas cooler inlet with an excess length, and in that the second coolant conduit is plugged onto the gas cooler outlet and/or is plugged into the evaporator inlet with an excess length.

The present invention relates to a device for cooling, in particular for cooling electronic components, as recited in the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such a cooling device is known for example from WO 2005/055319 A2. The known system has an evaporator for absorbing heat from an electronic component and a condenser for emitting the heat to the surrounding environment. From an outlet of the evaporator there extends a riser pipe that opens into the condenser. In the riser pipe, bubbles of evaporated coolant rise from the evaporator into the condenser, thus causing recirculation of the coolant in the system. The end of the riser pipe is situated above a fluid level that arises during operation.

In a device of the type described above, the object of the present invention is to facilitate the circulation of a coolant in the device.

This object is achieved by a cooling device having the features of patent claim 1.

The basic idea of the present invention is to reduce the flow resistance for a coolant circulating in the device by inserting a coolant conduit into the heat exchanger inlet at the inlet side and plugging a coolant conduit onto the heat exchanger outlet at the outlet side. This eliminates or at least reduces bottlenecks and/or turbulence formation of the coolant, so that circulation of the coolant is promoted in an economical and constructively simple manner.

Advantageous specific embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims, and/or are explained in more detail in the following with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device for cooling electronic components,

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a device for cooling electronic components,

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a device for cooling electronic components,

FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section of a device for cooling electronic components,

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of a device for cooling electronic components,

FIG. 6 shows a top view of a device for cooling electronic components,

FIG. 7 shows a longitudinal section of a distributing reservoir of a gas cooler,

FIG. 8 shows a side view of a device for cooling electronic components,

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a clamping device for pressing a cooling body against a heat-emitting component, and

FIG. 10 shows six side views of a clamping device for pressing a cooling body against a heat-emitting component.

FIG. 1 shows a cooling device 110 that is provided for cooling a heat-emitting component (not shown), preferably a processor of a computing machine. Cooling device 10 has an evaporator 120, a condenser 130, a first coolant conduit 140 and a second coolant conduit that is covered in FIG. 1. First coolant conduit 140 connects an evaporator outlet 150 to a covered condenser inlet, and the second coolant conduit connects a covered condenser outlet to a likewise covered evaporator inlet. Evaporator 120 is placed in a clamping device 160 that clamps cooling device 110 to the heat-emitting component.

Condenser 130 has a filling device 165 that is soldered onto a pipe-shaped distributing reservoir of condenser 130. Condenser 130 is held between an essentially rectangular cover 170, having an opening 180 and an axial blower 190.

Before use, the coolant circuit made up of evaporator 120, condenser 130, and the first and second coolant conduits is first evacuated via filling device 165, and is then filled with coolant; the coolant used is preferably coolant R134a, known from the prior art.

During operation, evaporator 120 transfers heat from the heat-emitting component onto the coolant situated in the evaporator, and this coolant evaporates at least partially and flows into condenser 130 via first coolant conduit 140. Condenser 130 communicates heat from the coolant that it contains to air that flows, driven by convection or by axial blower 190, through a pipe-fin block of condenser 130 and through opening 180. In this way, the coolant in condenser 130 is cooled and is at least partially condensed. Subsequently, the coolant flows from condenser 130 back into the evaporator, via the second coolant conduit.

FIG. 2 shows, in an exploded view, a cooling device 210 that corresponds essentially to cooling device 110 in FIG. 1. Cooling device 210 has an evaporator 220, a condenser 230, a first coolant conduit 240, and a second coolant conduit 245. First coolant conduit 240 connects an evaporator outlet 250 to a covered condenser inlet, and second coolant conduit 245 connects a covered condenser outlet to a likewise covered condenser inlet.

Evaporator 220 is situated in a clamping device 260 with which cooling device 210 in FIG. 2 is clamped downward onto the heat-emitting component. For this purpose, clamping device 260 has a first tensile element 262 and a second tensile element 263, as well as a clamping web 264 that is situated between the first and the second tensile element. In order to press cooling device 210 onto the heat-emitting component, first the first tensile element 262, fashioned as an eye and pointing downward in FIG. 2, is hooked into a counterpiece, which is fashioned as a nose on the heat-emitting component or on a frame part connected thereto, and subsequently second tensile element 263, which is also formed as an eye and points downward, is pressed downward and likewise hooked in a counterpiece, so that via clamping web 264 there acts a clamping force that acts on evaporator 220, which is situated in a receptacle 266 of clamping web 264, said force pressing the evaporator downward against the heat-emitting component. Thus, in FIGS. 1 and 2 the clamping device is downwardly situated.

Condenser 230 has a filling device 265 that is soldered onto a pipe-shaped distributing reservoir 232 of condenser 230. Condenser 230 is held between, on the one hand, an essentially rectangular cover 270, having a frame 275 that encloses condenser 230 and an opening 280, and on the other hand an axial blower 290.

During operation, evaporator 220 transfers heat, via a heat-conducting paste situated in a protective sheath 222 and a cooling plate 224, to the coolant in the evaporator, which evaporates at least partially. For improved heat transmission, the cooling plate preferably has cooling elements, such as fibs, knobs, or pins, that extend into the evaporator so that the coolant can flow around them. A cover 226 seals evaporator 220, and accommodates the cooling elements if necessary.

Via first coolant conduit 240, the coolant flows into condenser 230. Condenser 230 transfers heat from the coolant to air that, driven convectively or by axial blower 290, flows through a pipe-fin block 234 of condenser 230 and through opening 280 of cover 270. For this purpose, axial blower 290 has a blower wheel having a hub 292, blades 294, and an outer ring 296 that rotates in a blower housing 298, driven by an electric blower motor that is covered by the hub.

The coolant flows through a covered condenser inlet into distributing reservoir 232 of condenser 230, and is distributed to flat pipes 236 of pipe-fin block 232 that are in turn soldered in pipe openings of distributing reservoir 232. After a transfer of heat to the air flowing around ribs 237, the cooled and possibly condensed coolant is collected in collecting reservoir 238 and subsequently flows via a condenser outlet and via second coolant conduit 245 back into evaporator 220.

Condenser 230, and preferably also evaporator 230 and the first and second coolant conduits, are made and soldered from a metal, preferably aluminum, or an alloy, preferably an aluminum alloy. Cover 270 and the individual parts of axial blower 290, with the exception of the blower motor and/or the clamping device 260, are preferably made of plastic, preferably by an injection molding process.

FIG. 3 shows a cooling device 310 in a side view. Cooling device 310 has an evaporator 320, a condenser 330, a first coolant conduit 340 and a second coolant conduit 345. First coolant conduit 340 connects an evaporator outlet 350 to a condenser inlet that is covered by a cover 370, and second coolant conduit 345 connects a covered condenser outlet to an evaporator inlet 352. An axial blower 390 is connected to condenser 330, and is situated close to evaporator 320, so that there is no room to situate a clamping device between axial blower 390 and evaporator 320.

During operation, evaporator 320 transfers heat, via a cooling plate 324, from a heat-emitting component to a coolant situated therein, which evaporates at least partially. A cover 326 seals evaporator 320, and accommodates cooling elements if necessary.

Via first coolant conduit 340, the coolant flows into condenser 330. Condenser 330 transmits heat from the coolant to air that flows, driven convectively or by axial blower 390, through condenser 330. After heat is transferred to the air, the cooled, and possibly condensed, coolant flows into second coolant conduit 345 via a condenser outlet, and from there flows back into evaporator 320. The circulation of the coolant is indicated by arrows in FIG. 3.

In order to promote circulation of the coolant in the desired manner, evaporator outlet 350 is situated geodetically higher than evaporator inlet 352. Because vapor bubbles that may form in the coolant ascend upward in the evaporator, this situation supports passage of the vapor bubbles via evaporator outlet 350 into first coolant conduit 340, but the vapor bubbles are prevented from entering second coolant conduit 345 via evaporator inlet 352.

In addition, the circulation of the coolant is supported in that first coolant conduit 340 has a diameter that is preferably greater by about one-fourth than the diameter of second coolant conduit 345. Advantageously, the diameter of first coolant conduit 340 is 10 mm, and the diameter of the second coolant conduit is 8 mm.

Likewise advantageous for the circulation of the coolant are the at least horizontal course and mostly continuous upward gradient of first coolant conduit 340 from evaporator outlet 350 to the condenser inlet, as well as the continuous downward gradient of second coolant conduit 345 from the condenser outlet to evaporator inlet 352.

FIG. 4 shows a cooling device 410 in a longitudinal section. Cooling device 410 has an evaporator 420, a condenser 430, a first coolant conduit 440, and a second coolant conduit 445. First coolant conduit 440 connects a evaporator outlet 450 to a condenser inlet 455, and second coolant conduit 445 connects a condenser outlet 458 to a condenser inlet that is situated in front of the plane of the drawing and is therefore not shown in the drawing.

Via first coolant conduit 440, a coolant (shown in black) moves from evaporator 420, via evaporator outlet 450, first coolant conduit 440, and condenser inlet 455, into an essentially cylindrical distributing reservoir 432 of condenser 430. Condenser 430 transmits heat from the coolant to air that flows through pipe-fin block 434 of condenser 430. After a transfer of heat to the air, the cooled and possibly condensed coolant is collected in a collecting reservoir 438 and flows, via condenser outlet 458, into second coolant conduit 445, and from there flows back into evaporator 420.

In order to promote circulation of the coolant in the desired manner, evaporator outlet 450 is situated geodetically higher than the evaporator inlet. In addition, the circulation of the coolant is supported in that first coolant conduit 440 has a diameter that is preferably greater by about one-fourth than the diameter of second coolant conduit 445. Advantageously, the diameter of first coolant conduit 440 is 10 mm, and the diameter of the second coolant conduit is 8 mm. Likewise advantageous for the circulation of the coolant are the at least horizontal course and mostly continuous upward gradient of first coolant conduit 440, as well as the continuous downward gradient of second coolant conduit 445.

It is advantageous to reduce the flow resistance for the coolant circulating in cooling device 410 by plugging first coolant conduit 440 into condenser inlet 455 with an excess distance, and plugging said conduit onto evaporator outlet 450. A similar advantage is achieved by plugging second coolant conduit 445 into the evaporator inlet with an excess distance and plugging said conduit onto condenser outlet 458. This prevents, or at least reduces, bottlenecks for the coolant and/or turbulence formation in the coolant, so that the circulation of the coolant in the desired direction is promoted in the most economical and constructively simple manner. In some circumstances, a backflow of condensed coolant into first coolant conduit 440, or of evaporated coolant into second coolant conduit 445, is prevented or at least slowed by the plugging in.

In some circumstances, a simple construction is obtained through the provision of an outwardly protruding collar 451 on evaporator outlet 450 and/or of an outwardly protruding collar 459 on condenser outlet 458. Preferably, collar 451 and collar 459 each have an inner diameter similar to or larger than the first or, respectively, second coolant conduit, so that no coolant bottleneck results. The first and second coolant conduit then have, for the plugging, a first widened pipe end 441 or, respectively, a second widened pipe end 446, having inner dimensions that correspond to the outer dimensions of collar 451 or, respectively, of collar 459.

FIG. 5 shows a cooling device 510 in a cross-section, corresponding essentially to cooling device 410 in FIG. 4. Cooling device 510 has an evaporator 520, a condenser 530, a first coolant conduit (not situated in the plane of the drawing), and a second coolant conduit 545. Second coolant conduit 545 connects a condenser outlet 558 to an evaporator inlet 552; said second conduit lies partly outside the plane of the drawing and is therefore not shown in its entirety.

In collecting reservoir 558 of condenser 530, pipe openings 531 are provided into which flat pipes 536 are plugged and soldered. Flat pipes 536 are divided by longitudinal dividing walls 539 into flow channels 535, such that flow channels 535 are partially filled with coolant during condensation of the coolant, and in which condensed coolant is likewise cooled.

In some circumstances, a simple construction is obtained through the provision of an outwardly protruding collar 559 on condenser outlet 558. Preferably, collar 459 has an inner diameter similar to or greater than that of second coolant conduit 545, so that no coolant bottleneck results. For the plugging, second coolant conduit 545 then has a second widened pipe end 546 having inner dimensions that correspond to the outer dimensions of collar 459.

FIG. 6 shows a cooling device 610 that is provided for the cooling of a heat-emitting component (not shown), preferably a processor of a computing machine. Cooling device 610 has an evaporator 620, a condenser 630, a first coolant conduit 640, and a second coolant conduit 645. Evaporator 620 is situated in a clamping device 660 with which cooling device 610 is clamped onto the heat-emitting component.

Condenser 630 has a filling device 665 that is soldered on a pipe-shaped distributing reservoir 632 of condenser 630. Condenser 630 is held between a cover (not shown) and an axial blower 690.

Before use, the coolant circuit made up of evaporator 620, condenser 630, and the first and second coolant conduits is first evacuated via filling device 665, and is then filled with coolant.

FIG. 7 shows section A-A from FIG. 6. Distributing reservoir 632 has a condenser inlet 655 for the insertion and soldering in of first coolant conduit 640, and has a filling opening 656 for soldering in of filling device 665. Filling device 665, which is essentially cylindrical, is situated as a longitudinal support on the side of pipe-shaped distributing reservoir 632.

In order to fill cooling device 610, a third coolant conduit is connected to a valve housing 666 of filling device 665, which is fashioned as a valve, by screwing a coupling element situated on the end of the third coolant conduit onto valve housing 666. Here, the coupling element displaces a valve insert 668 in a channel 669 in FIG. 7 to the left, into a filling position, such that a spring element (not shown) inside valve insert 668, which is supported via a stop element 667 on filling opening 656 of distributing reservoir 632 or on valve housing 666, is tensioned.

Cooling device 610 is first evacuated via channel 669, which is released in the filling position by valve insert 668, and via the third coolant conduit, and is subsequently filled with coolant via the third coolant conduit and channel 669. Subsequently, the coupling element is unscrewed from the filling device, such that the spring element in valve insert 668, supported in some circumstances by an excess pressure of the coolant in cooling device 610, moves valve insert 668 in FIG. 7 to the right into a closing position, in which valve insert 668 blocks channel 669, sealing it by means of at least one sealing ring.

FIG. 8 shows cooling device 610 from FIG. 6 in a side view. Pipe-fin network 634 is here situated between cylindrical distributing reservoir 632 and a likewise cylindrical collecting reservoir 638 of condenser 630. The filling device is situated at a right angle to the pipe-fin network on the distributing reservoir. This achieves both a space-saving construction and good accessibility of the filling device.

FIG. 9 shows a clamping device 910 that is provided for a pressing of a cooling body against a heat-emitting component, for example against a processor of a computing machine, in a perspective view. Clamping device 910 has a first tensile element 920 and a second tensile element 930, as well as a clamping web 940 situated between them. Clamping web 940 has a receptacle 950 for a cooling body, as well as a covered first mounting element 960 and a second mounting element 970.

In order to press the cooling body onto the heat-emitting component, first the cooling body in FIG. 9 is placed into the receptacle from above. A lateral first projection of the cooling body is here pushed under mounting element 960, fashioned as a shoulder, after which a second projection of the cooling body, situated opposite the first projection, is pressed under second mounting element 970. This is enabled by an elastic retreat of rear web part 945 of clamping web 940, and is facilitated by an oblique ramp 975 of second mounting element 970. If an evaporator according to one of FIGS. 1 to 8 is used as a cooling element, for example an excess distance of the cooling plate relative to the cover of the evaporator serves as a projection.

Advantageously, the cooling body has an upward stop for clamping device 910, so that after the cooling body has been placed into receptacle 950, clamping device 910 is fixed on the cooling body. If an evaporator according to one of FIGS. 1 to 8 is used as a cooling body, the first and/or second coolant conduit, connected fixedly (in particular, soldered) to the evaporator, may for example act as the stop.

The cooling body arrangement that is obtained in this way is, finally, clamped onto the heat-emitting component or onto a frame, e.g. an electronics circuit board, connected to said component. For this purpose, first the first tensile element 920, fashioned as a downward-pointing eye, is hooked into a nose on the frame, and subsequently second tensile element 930 is pressed down and also hooked into a nose. In order to facilitate the pressing down, clamping device 910 has, in the area of second tensile element 930, a receptacle 980 for a tool such as a screwdriver.

FIG. 10 shows six side views of a clamping device 1010 that corresponds essentially to clamping device 910 in FIG. 9, from six different sides. Clamping device 1010 has a first tensile element 1020 and a second tensile element 1030, as well as a clamping web 1040 situated between them. Clamping web 1040 has a receptacle 1050 for a cooling body, as well as a first mounting element 1060 and a second mounting element 1070.

In order to press the cooling body against the heat-emitting component, first the cooling body is placed into the receptacle in the clamping direction. A lateral first projection of the cooling body is pushed under mounting element 1060, fashioned as a shoulder, and subsequently a second projection of the cooling body, situated opposite the first projection, is pressed under second mounting element 1070. This is enabled by an elastic retreat of rear web part 1045 of clamping web 1040, and is facilitated by an oblique ramp 1075 of second mounting element 1070.

Finally, the cooling body arrangement obtained in this way is clamped onto the heat-emitting component or onto a frame, e.g. an electronics circuit board, connected to said component. For this purpose, first the first tensile element 1020, fashioned as a downward-pointing eye, is hooked into a nose on the frame, and subsequently second tensile element 1030 is pressed down and also hooked into a nose. In order to facilitate the pressing down, clamping device 1010 has, in the area of second tensile element 1030, a receptacle 1080 for a tool such as a screwdriver.

In addition, second tensile element 1030 is fashioned as a clip that can be pivoted outward, preferably a metal clip, and has a projection 1035 as a mounting aid. Second tensile element 1030 can thus easily be pivoted into the counterpiece provided for this purpose (e.g. into a nose), either by itself or via projection 1035, in the pressed-down state, and subsequently released. Clamping web 1040 is then tensioned, and produces a clamping force that is transmitted to the heat-emitting component as a tensile force via the tensile elements and as a pressure force via the cooling body, so that a sufficient heat transfer from the heat-emitting component to the cooling body is ensured.

The present invention has been described on the basis of a cooling device for an electronic component as an example, but is not limited to the described specific embodiments. It is expressly noted that the present invention may also be used in other applications. All subject matters described herein may be combined with each other arbitrarily. Likewise, all features of each described subject matter may be combined arbitrarily with all other features of all other subject matters, or may be replaced thereby. 

1. A device for cooling, in particular for cooling electronic components, in particular a processor unit, comprising: an evaporator for absorbing heat in a coolant, in particular through evaporation; a gas cooler for cooling the coolant, in particular through condensation; a first coolant conduit for the communicating connection of an evaporator outlet to a gas cooler inlet; and a second coolant conduit for the communicating connection of a gas cooler outlet to an evaporator inlet, the first coolant conduit being plugged onto the evaporator outlet and/or is plugged into the gas cooler inlet with an excess length, and in that the second coolant conduit is plugged onto the gas cooler outlet and/or is plugged into the evaporator inlet with an excess length.
 2. The device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the gas cooler or the evaporator has a distributing reservoir and a collecting reservoir the gas cooler inlet or evaporator inlet being situated on the distributing reservoir and the gas cooler outlet or evaporator outlet being situated on the collecting reservoir, and the distributing reservoir and the collecting reservoir having pipe openings into which coolant pipes are plugged or onto which coolant pipes are plugged, the coolant pipes being fashioned in particular as flat pipes having corrugated ribs situated between them.
 3. The device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the evaporator outlet or the gas cooler outlet has an outwardly protruding collar onto which a pipe end of the first or second coolant conduit is plugged, the outer dimensions, such as the outer diameter, of the collar corresponding to the inner dimensions, such as the inner diameter, of the pipe end.
 4. The device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the pipe end of the first or second coolant conduit is widened relative to the other (first or, respectively, second) coolant conduit, so that the inner diameter of the collar essentially corresponds to or is larger than an inner diameter of the other (first or, respectively, second) coolant conduit.
 5. The device as recited in claim 2, characterized in that the distributing reservoir and/or the collecting reservoir is fashioned so as to be pipe-shaped, in particular cylindrical.
 6. The device as recited in claim 5, characterized in that the first or the second coolant conduit is plugged into the pipe-shaped distributing reservoir at a front side.
 7. The device as recited in claim 5, characterized in that the first or second coolant conduit is plugged into the pipe-shaped distributing reservoir at a longitudinal side.
 8. The device as recited in claim 5, characterized in that the first or second coolant conduit is plugged onto the pipe-shaped collecting reservoir at a front side.
 9. The device as recited in claim 5, characterized in that the first or second coolant conduit is plugged onto the pipe-shaped collecting reservoir at a longitudinal side.
 10. The device as recited in claim 5, characterized in that the pipe openings are situated on the longitudinal side of the pipe-shaped distributing reservoir or collecting reservoir.
 11. The device as recited in claim 5, characterized in that the first or second coolant conduit opens into the distributing reservoir or collecting reservoir essentially opposite the pipe openings.
 12. The device as recited in claim 2, characterized in that the first or second coolant conduit opens into the distributing reservoir or collecting reservoir essentially at a right angle to the pipe openings.
 13. The device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the device has a conveyor device, such as a blower, for conducting a medium, in particular a gas, in particular cooling air, through the gas cooler.
 14. The device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the device is provided for assembly in or on a heat-emitting component in such a way that the gas cooler is situated geodetically higher than the evaporator, so that the coolant flows automatically, through evaporation, from the evaporator to the gas cooler, and after condensation flows from the gas cooler to the evaporator.
 15. The device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the gas cooler inlet is situated geodetically above the gas cooler outlet.
 16. The device as recited in claim 2, characterized in that the gas cooler inlet is situated at a geodetically upper end of the gas cooler or distributing reservoir.
 17. The device as recited in claim 2, characterized in that the gas cooler outlet is situated at a geodetically lower end of the gas cooler or of the collecting reservoir.
 18. The device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the evaporator outlet is situated geodetically above the evaporator inlet.
 19. The device as recited in claim 2, characterized in that the evaporator inlet is situated at a geodetically lower end of the evaporator or of the distributing reservoir.
 20. The device as recited in claim 2, characterized in that the evaporator outlet is situated at a geodetically upper end of the evaporator or of the collecting reservoir.
 21. The device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the evaporator is provided for assembly on a heat-emitting component. 